Airconditioning and the power of the internet

Thank you for all the caring comments and emails. Even though you are obviously a pack of fear-mongering aircon haters - it's nice to know you care!

Just to put my mother-in-law's mind at rest – the air conditioners I have are the individual kind, where you have one unit on the wall in your room, and a fan unit outside. Just like a heat pump at home. These types of air conditioners are not particularly prone to growing nasty disease bearing bacteria like the air-conditioning systems you get in large buildings can do. So, if you have to have an air-conditioner, they're probably the best kind to have.

This is a naked air conditioning unit.
Looks like a photocopier part to me.

 
Also, in Vietnam the air outside is DIRTY and full of dust. Furthermore, the air in Vietnam is WET. Which means that if you don't use an air-conditioner, you can end up with mould growing on your walls and possessions very very quickly. Like, within a couple of days. So, even when people are away from their house for a few days, they usually arrange for someone to go in and turn on the air-con for an hour or so, to act as dehumidifiers. And so the best way to get safe, clean, dry air indoors is to keep the windows shut and to use the air-conditioners – providing, of course, that the filters are cleaned regularly. This is particularly important for Mr Martin who tends to get allergic asthma when exposed to dust and (especially) to mould.



But – you are also all correct in wondering if the air-con was in fact contributing to my cold! I did a bit of research, and eventually found some real (not pseudo) science which pointed out that the dehumidifying function of air-conditioning can contribute to susceptibility to colds. Not because it sends cold viruses into the air, but because our bodies need a certain amount of moisture in the air to keep our nasal passages nice and wet, so we can flush dust and viruses particles away. We have the air-conditioning on all night, mostly, in our bedroom. Because otherwise it gets too hot to sleep. And I have noticed that I often wake up really parched. So I am sure that the air-con is probably contributing a bit to the colds. But – I think maybe not enough to make me turn it off, just yet! People – it is often over 35 degrees outside! I am a delicate flower and will wilt under those conditions!

This delicate flower also lives in my bedroom at the moment

Shortly after we moved in here, one of the air-conditioners stopped working. And workmen came, and I was shown one of those charming notes I occasionally get, and the note apologized for 'our dirty histories'. That unit was cleaned that day. Yesterday, when the maids came, they brought more workmen with them, and all our air-con units were cleaned.

This is an interesting process that involved dismantling the units, and hosing them down on the bathroom floor.

I asked the guys if I could take their photo first,
and while they agreed, they really thought I was a nutcase.

So I wonder – is my landlady reading my blog? If so, thank you! And welcome…

Oh, and finally - Yes, I am all better now!

Paracetamol is cheap, at least

I am sick again.  One or the other of us has been sick or at least poorly in one way or another since about a week after we arrived. Sometimes we have both been sick at the same time which is very miserable because I am a horrible patient but an even worse nurse.

I really would much rather that I didn't have to deal with sick people, and body fluids and their noises.  Do you realise how noisy another person's headcold is?  Very inconvenient. But also when I am sick I don't want any ministrations performed on me no matter how well intentioned. But that doesn't mean I don't want you to offer. I just want to refuse you. It's like the power of saying 'no' is all I have left, since I no longer have control of lung functions.  (Or my bowel functions. Depending.) So if I'm sick, and Martin's sick at the same time - I am irritated by his sickness, and even if he tries to be nice to me I am horrible.

The problem is of course that we haven't been to Vietnam before.  We eat as carefully as we can - no street food etc - but it is inevitable that we are getting exposed to new bugs all the time.  I imagine that in a few months time I will be the picture of good health with a rock solid immune system, but right now I am grumpy as all hell with a runny nose and a cough and no voice beyond a whisper.  Again.

Thank god for e-books and my iPod touch.  And air-conditioning.

After a lengthy consultation with the Guardian's bookshop I have decided to download The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. 

Anybody out there read this?